Effect of Duroc genes proportion on growth performance and on carcass and meat quality characteristics in heavy pigs

By means of the application of covariance models, the linear effects of the proportion of Duroc genes were evaluated with respect to growth (from 6 to 170 kg live weight) and feed/gain ratios, as well as carcass (lean cuts, adipose cuts, linear measures, backfat thickness, loin area and lean percentage) and meat quality (L* a* b* colour, reflectance, electrical conductivity, pH) in 167 heavy pigs (87 castrated males, 80 females) from different crosses of Duroc (D), Large White (LW) and Landrace (L) breeds, from 25 to approximately 300 d of age. The pigs were weighed at 25, 105, 170, 235 d and at the end of the trial (298 ± 6 d of age), and were raised under the same conditions. The proportion of Duroc genes was 0% (LWxL; no. 33), 25% [(LWx(DxL); n. 31 and Lx(DxLW); n. 35)] and 50% [Dx(LWx(LWxL)); n. 68]. The increase in the proportion of Duroc genes negatively affected the live weight at the different ages (P0.10). In fact, during the final phase (from 120 to 170 kg l.w.) the effect of the Duroc breed on daily gain became positive (P=0.08), and the feed/gain ratios were significantly lower (P=0.02). The carcass composition was not significantly influenced by the increase in the proportion of Duroc genes, with the exception of a rise in the weight of neck (P<0.01) and flare fat (P=0.02) and a reduction of ham (P=0.09). Carcass length resulted lower as the proportion of Duroc genes increased (P<0.01); at 24 h from slaughtering, meat colour showed lower values for lightness (P=0.08), redness (P=0.02) and yellowness (P=0.03)

Effect of the proportion of Duroc genes in crosses with Large White and Landrace pigs on the characteristics of seasoned Parma ham

The aim of this study was to estimate the linear and quadratic effects of the proportion of Duroc genes on the characteristicsof seasoned Parma hams by means of a covariance model. The study was carried out on 167 pigs (87 castratedmales, 80 females) from different crosses among Duroc (D), Large White (LW) and Landrace (L) breeds, slaughteredat 300 d of age (live weight 170 kg). All pigs were raised under similar conditions. The curing period was 380 days. Theproportion of Duroc genes was 0% (LWxL; n. 33), 25% [(LWx(DxL); n. 31 and Lx(DxLW); n. 35)] and 50%[Dx(LWx(LWxL)); n. 68]. The increase in the proportion of Duroc genes had a positive linear effect (P<0.01) and a negativequadratic effect (P=0.01) on the yield of deboned ham while ham fat thickness decreased linearly (P=0.07) andincreased quadratically (P<0.01). A higher proportion of Duroc genes was also linearly associated with a lower lightness(P<0.01) and a less yellow color (P=0.09) of the biceps femoris muscle; positive quadratic coefficients have been shownfor lightness (P<0.01), yellowness (P=0.01) and hue (P=0.03). The chemical composition of the semitendinosus musclefeatured a linear increase in moisture (P<0.01) and decrease in fat (P=0.03) and non protein nitrogen (P=0.01) content,in addition to significant quadratic effects with an increase in the proportion of Duroc genes. In conclusion, crossbreedingwith the Duroc breed (up to 50%) makes it possible to obtain positive quality characteristics of cured Parma ham

Early indication of decompensated heart failure in patients on home-telemonitoring: a comparison of prediction algorithms based on daily weight and noninvasive transthoracic bio-impedance

Background: Heart Failure (HF) is a common reason for hospitalization. Admissions might be prevented by early detection of and intervention for decompensation. Conventionally, changes in weight, a possible measure of fluid accumulation, have been used to detect deterioration. Transthoracic impedance may be a more sensitive and accurate measure of fluid accumulation. Objective: In this study, we review previously proposed predictive algorithms using body weight and noninvasive transthoracic bio-impedance (NITTI) to predict HF decompensations. Methods: We monitored 91 patients with chronic HF for an average of 10 months using a weight scale and a wearable bio-impedance vest. Three algorithms were tested using either simple rule-of-thumb differences (RoT), moving averages (MACD), or cumulative sums (CUSUM). Results: Algorithms using NITTI in the 2 weeks preceding decompensation predicted events (P&lt;.001); however, using weight alone did not. Cross-validation showed that NITTI improved sensitivity of all algorithms tested and that trend algorithms provided the best performance for either measurement (Weight-MACD: 33%, NITTI-CUSUM: 60%) in contrast to the simpler rules-of-thumb (Weight-RoT: 20%, NITTI-RoT: 33%) as proposed in HF guidelines. Conclusions: NITTI measurements decrease before decompensations, and combined with trend algorithms, improve the detection of HF decompensation over current guideline rules; however, many alerts are not associated with clinically overt decompensation

The superfamily keeps growing: Identification in trypanosomatids of RibJ, the first riboflavin transporter family in protists

Background: Trypanosomatid parasites represent a major health issue affecting hundreds of million people worldwide, with clinical treatments that are partially effective and/or very toxic. They are responsible for serious human and plant diseases including Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease), Trypanosoma brucei (Sleeping sickness), Leishmania spp. (Leishmaniasis), and Phytomonas spp. (phytoparasites). Both, animals and trypanosomatids lack the biosynthetic riboflavin (vitamin B2) pathway, the vital precursor of flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactors. While metazoans obtain riboflavin from the diet through RFVT/SLC52 transporters, the riboflavin transport mechanisms in trypanosomatids still remain unknown. Methodology/Principal findings: Here, we show that riboflavin is imported with high affinity in Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Leishmania (Leishmania) mexicana, Crithidia fasciculata and Phytomonas Jma using radiolabeled riboflavin transport assays. The vitamin is incorporated through a saturable carrier-mediated process. Effective competitive uptake occurs with riboflavin analogs roseoflavin, lumiflavin and lumichrome, and co-factor derivatives FMN and FAD. Moreover, important biological processes evaluated in T. cruzi (i.e. proliferation, metacyclogenesis and amastigote replication) are dependent on riboflavin availability. In addition, the riboflavin competitive analogs were found to interfere with parasite physiology on riboflavin-dependent processes. By means of bioinformatics analyses we identified a novel family of riboflavin transporters (RibJ) in trypanosomatids. Two RibJ members, TcRibJ and TbRibJ from T. cruzi and T. brucei respectively, were functionally characterized using homologous and/or heterologous expression systems. Conclusions/Significance: The RibJ family represents the first riboflavin transporters found in protists and the third eukaryotic family known to date. The essentiality of riboflavin for trypanosomatids, and the structural/biochemical differences that RFVT/SLC52 and RibJ present, make the riboflavin transporter -and its downstream metabolism- a potential trypanocidal drug target.Fil: Balcazar, Dario Emmanuel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología ; ArgentinaFil: Vanrell, Maria Cristina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Romano, Patricia Silvia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Cienicas Médicas. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza Dr. Mario H. Burgos; ArgentinaFil: Pereira, Claudio Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Houssay. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Medicina. Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas; ArgentinaFil: Goldbaum, Fernando Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Bonomi, Hernán Ruy. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires. Fundación Instituto Leloir. Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Carrillo, Carolina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología "Dr. César Milstein". Fundación Pablo Cassará. Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología ; Argentin

Banca dati idrogeologica TANGRAM©: strumento per elaborazioni quantitative di dati per la valutazione delle acque sotterranee - The hydrogeological well database TANGRAM©: a tool for data processing to support groundwater assessment

At the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences of the University of Milano-Bicocca (DISAT-UNIMIB), a hydrogeological well database, called TANGRAM©, has been developed and published on line at www.TANGRAM.samit.unimib.it, developing an earlier 1989 DOS version. This package can be used to store, display, and process all data related to water wells, including administrative information, well characteristics, stratigraphic logs, water levels, pumping rates, and other hydrogeological information. Currently, the database contains more than 39.200 wells located in the Italian region of Lombardy (90%), Piedmont (9%) and Valle d'Aosta (1%). TANGRAM© has been created both as a tool for researches and for public administration's administrators who have projects in common with DISAT-UNIMIB. Indeed, transferring wells data from paper into TANGRAM© offers both an easier and more robust way to correlate hydrogeological data and a more organized management of the administrative information. Some Administrations use TANGRAM© regularly as a tool for wells data management (Brescia Province, ARPA Valle Aosta). An innovative aspect of the database is the quantitative extraction of stratigraphic data. In the part of the software intended for research purposes, all well logs are translated into 8-digit alphanumeric codes and the user composes the code interpreting the description at each stratigraphic level. So the stratigraphic well data can be coded, then quantified and processed. This is made possible by attributing a weight to the digits of the code for textures. The program calculates the weighted percentage of the chosen lithology, as related to each individual layer. These extractions are the starting point for subsequent hydrogeological studies: well head protection area, reconstruction of the dynamics of flow, realization of the quarry plans and flux and transport hydrogeological models. The results of a two-dimensional distribution of coarse, medium and fine sized material in the first 80 meters of depth are presented here for a study area located within the Province of Brescia (Italy)

Simplified HPLC-UV method for the determination of α-tocopherol in plasma

Vitamin E, known for its great nutritional importance, is normally included in animal diets as DL-α-tocopherol acetate.The authors propose a method that makes it possible to determine the concentration of vitamin E in plasma withoutsaponification. This method enable to avoid aggressive treatments on the analyte and complex procedures; it detectsvitamin E only in form of DL-α-tocopherol.Lipoproteins of analysed plasma were denaturised by methanol. Vitamin E was extracted by petroleum ether in presenceof NaCl. The extract was dried by rotavapor at 45 °C, solubilized by methanol and injected in HPLC (C18 column, reversedphase). The quantitative determination was carried out by UV detector settled on 294 nm.Tests of repeatability inter-analysis and intra-analysis gave coefficient of variability (CV%) respectively of 1.64 and2.41%. The mean recovery was 100%

Assessment of Human Ambulatory Speed by Measuring Near-Body Air Flow

Accurate measurements of physical activity are important for the diagnosis of the exacerbation of chronic diseases. Accelerometers have been widely employed in clinical research for measuring activity intensity and investigating the association between physical activity and adverse health conditions. However, the ability of accelerometers in assessing physical activity intensity such as walking speed has been constrained by the inter-individual variability in sensor output and by the necessity of developing unobtrusive low-power monitoring systems. This paper will present a study aimed at investigating the accuracy of a wearable measuring system of near-body air flow to determine ambulatory speed in the field

Quarter-mile walk test sensitive to training-induced fitness changes

BACKGROUND: Cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is an important aspect of the overall health of an individual and its monitoring must be promoted in the general population. Thus, the aim of the study was to cross-validate and improve CRF estimation based on quarter-mile Rockport Fitness Walking Test. METHODS: Thirty participants (31.4±7.99 years) were randomized in either a four-week aerobic training group (10 men and 10 women) or a control group (eight men and two women). CRF was assessed via VO2max test and estimated via quarter-mile Rockport Fitness and Ebbeling treadmill tests, before and after the training intervention. The original quarter-mile Rockport VO2max estimation was found to greatly overestimate CRF by 22 mL/kg/min. When its coefficient was updated according to our data, it largely improved (by 6.8 mL/kg/min). Furthermore, a new algorithm for predicting VO2max was designed using multi-linear regression analysis. RESULTS: The original quarter-mile Rockport Fitness Walking Test was not sensitive to CRF changes. It showed changes in VO2max, which were significantly different from the actual observed changes (-1.1±4.08 vs. 1.61±2.84, P=0.02, respectively). The Ebbeling treadmill test appeared to systematically overestimate CRF changes. Our new algorithm showed improved sensitivity for detecting CRF changes and stability. CONCLUSIONS: The original quarter-mile Rockport Fitness Walking Test equation for predicting VO2max was neither accurate nor sensitive to changes in CRF, most likely due to cardiovascular drift. Our new algorithm, based on the same brisk walking test, can provide a more accurate estimate of CRF, which is also sensitive to VO2max changes, in a broad age range (18 to 50 years)

Lab-on-Chip for testing myelotoxic effect of drugs and chemicals

In the last 20 years, one of the main goals in the drug discovery field has been the development of reliable in vitro models. In particular, in 2006 the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods has approved the colony-forming unit granulocytes–macrophages test, which is the first and currently unique test applied to evaluate the myelotoxicity of xenobiotics in vitro. The present work aimed at miniaturizing this in vitro assay by developing and validating a Lab-on-Chip platform consisting of a high number of bioreactor chambers with screening capabilities in a high-throughput regime

Propagation of gravity waves and spread F in the low-latitude ionosphere over Tucumán, Argentina, by continuous Doppler sounding: first results

Results of systematic analysis of propagation directions and horizontal velocities of gravity waves (GWs) and spread F structures in low-latitude ionosphere (magnetic inclination ~27°) in Tucumán region, Argentina, are presented. Measurements were carried out by multipoint continuous Doppler system during 1 year from December 2012 to November 2013. It was found that meridian propagation of GWs dominated and that southward propagation prevailed in the local summer. Oblique spread structures observed in Doppler shift spectrograms and associated with spread F propagated roughly eastward at velocities from ~70 to ~180 m/s and were observed at night from ~ September to ~ March. The velocities were computed for 182 events and the azimuths for 64 events. Continuous Doppler sounding makes it possible to analyze more events compared to optical observations often used for propagation studies since the measurements do not depend on weather.Fil: Chum, J.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Miranda Bonomi, Fernando Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Electricidad, Electrónica y Computación. Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Fišer, J.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Cabrera, M. A.. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Electricidad, Electrónica y Computación. Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones; Argentina. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Tucuman; ArgentinaFil: Ezquer, Rodolfo Gerardo. Universidad Tecnológica Nacional. Facultad Regional Tucuman; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Física. Laboratorio de Ionosfera; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Burešová, D.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Laštovička, J.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Baše, J.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Hruška, F.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República ChecaFil: Molina, Maria Graciela. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Ise, Juan Eduardo. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Electricidad, Electrónica y Computación. Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Cangemi, José Ignacio. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Tecnología. Departamento de Electricidad, Electrónica y Computación. Laboratorio de Telecomunicaciones; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Šindelářová, T.. Institute of Atmospheric Physics; República Chec